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What is the Software Development Life Cycle?
The Software Development Life Cycle is the overall process of conceptualizing, developing, and deploying an application.
SDLC frameworks can include Waterfall, Agile, or Iterative approaches.
Businesses tend to choose the framework that best suits their particular industry. All SDLCs follow the same primary stages.
- The stage of preparation and requirement gathering.
- The stage of design.
- The stage of test planning.
- Stage of Coding.
- The stage of testing and results.
- The stage of finalization, release, and upkeep.
Why is SDLC Security Important?
SDLC ensures the software is free of flaws and has clean code. Unfortunately, even though this may seem an important priority, most traditional SDLC frameworks do not include security activities until Testing and Results.
Many problems can pass the testing phase and end up in the final product.
Security activities will be implemented throughout the entire software development cycle as part of a secure SDLC.
These activities can include architecture analyses, code reviews, and penetration tests. This reduces or eliminates vulnerabilities, ensuring the integrity of final products.
Step 1: Implement Industry-Standard Security Frameworks
It should be done as soon as possible, ideally at the Planning/Gathering Requirements phase. When you decide to create a new app, it is essential to integrate a reliable security model into your SDLC.
It will ensure that each phase of the software development cycle is infused with best practices and security principles.
Step 2: Adopt And Implement A Risk Management Process
After incorporating an industry-standard risk mitigation and management model into your SDLC, it's time to look at another.
Professional procedures can be used to identify and evaluate significant software risks. They also produce mitigation plans that control and suppress these threats.
Step 3: Implement Architecture Reviews
An Architecture Review involves a thorough analysis of the design and functionality of the software. This is a lengthy process that needs to be done during the design stage.
Redesigning an application letter would not only cost more money but also take longer.
A complete redesign at the Coding, test, or maintenance stage may cause the project to be delayed or to go over budget.
An architecture review will help identify any fatal flaws. These flaws can be caught early, giving developers time to develop viable solutions. They are also more comprehensive and practical than patching at the end.
At every step of the software development cycle it may be compromised. Developers can detect flaws and vulnerabilities by using functional analysis and quality assurance.
Security integration into SDLC can be highly beneficial for everyone. It reduces costs, speeds up timelines, and produces high-quality results.
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What is Secure SDLC?
Secure Software Development Lifecycle integrates security and testing at each stage of development:
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Planning: This phase in the Secure SDLC involves collating inputs on security from all stakeholders alongside functional and non-functional requirements.
It ensures security definitions have been detailed and embedded right from the start.
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Development: The Secure SDLC enhances product development by leveraging security best practices to produce code that's secure by default.
Static code reviews and tests are also conducted in parallel to development to confirm this.
- Build: SecureSDLC requires that processes for compiling software are monitored and secure.
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Test: Testing is essential to Secure SDLC.
It now also includes the assurance that security requirements are met.
A functional Secure SDLC is dependent on test automation and continuous integration tools.
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Release & Deployment: The release and deployment lifecycle stage is augmented by Secure SDLC.
Additional monitoring and scanning tools are deployed to maintain software integrity between environments.
CI/CD Pipelines automate consistent and secure delivery.
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Operation: This uses automated tools to monitor real-time systems and services.
This allows staff to be more readily available for any zero-day threats.
Why is Secure SDLC Important?
The secure Software Development Lifecycle aims to include security in all software development processes, making it possible to secure software from the start.
Secure SDLC matters because the security and integrity of software are critical. Secure SDLC reduces security risks in software in production and minimizes their impact if they are found.
The days of simply releasing software to production and then fixing any bugs that were reported are over. Secure Software Development Lifecycle places security at the forefront, something that is even more critical with public source code repositories available, cloud workloads, and containerization.
Secure SDLC is a framework that defines responsibilities and improves planning, tracking, and visibility. It also reduces risk.
Secure SDLC: Benefits
The secure custom Software Development Life Cycle has many benefits is a lifecycle that integrates all phases into security.
This has benefits for everyone. It makes security everyone's responsibility and allows the software to be developed in a secure manner from the start.
The following are some of the most important benefits:
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Cost Reduction: Thanks to the early detection of security issues, controls can be embedded in parallel.
There is no need to patch after deployment.
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Security First: Secure SDLC creates cultures that are security-focused, thus creating an environment in which security is a priority, and all eyes are on it.
The improvements are spread throughout the entire organization.
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Strategy for Development: Defining the security criteria at the beginning improves the technology strategy.
It also makes all members of the team aware of security requirements and ensures developer security through the entire lifecycle.
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Improved Security: When Secure SDLC processes have been embedded in the organization, it improves security.
Security-conscious organizations reduce their cyber attack risk significantly.
Securing SDLC Best Practices
Let's examine how you can do this.
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Culture: Establish a culture that places security first.
At the project start, identify the key concerns and incorporate security in the code from the very beginning.
This security-first approach should be extended to dependencies, tools for deployment, and infrastructure.
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Standardization: Develop a Secure SDLC Development Roadmap, which facilitates continuous improvements with embedded security.
Create security requirements and tooling that help developers follow the process.
Standardize responses to vulnerabilities so that they are consistent.
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Test: Test frequently using static analysis and security testing.
Shift left as quickly as possible to begin testing.
Use threat modeling to stay up-to-date with evolving threats.
It is essential to ensure that the code stays secure during its entire lifecycle.
This can be done by monitoring deviations from standard practices.
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Testing Penetration: While Secure Software Development Lifecycle encourages testing at all stages of the software development lifecycle, penetration testing is not eliminated.
Secure SDLC promotes testing at all stages of the software development lifecycle.
However, penetration tests are often performed later.
They remain the standard for proactive security and risk management.
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Manage and Document: Any security vulnerabilities that are identified in the life cycle of development must be managed and documented.
Continuous monitoring can reveal these vulnerabilities at any moment.
They must be addressed quickly to avoid the risk profile or remediation costs increasing.
When implemented correctly, an SDLC ensures comprehensive security and high-quality products. It also promotes effective teamwork.
SDLC Developer Security
Security scanning, testing, and remediation can be done from a developer's integrated development environment.
By equipping developers with tools that allow them to identify and fix OWASP vulnerabilities and stop malicious entries, applications are created with data security and protection in mind.
It is beneficial for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Compliance (PCI DSS), which demands that developers code in a secure manner.
Developer security with Cisin Spectral
Credential leakage is one of the most significant risks in the Software Development Lifecycle. Cloud application development company and publically accessible source code repositories make it possible to have a hardcoded set of credentials that are used for time-saving.
Or if a code review is performed manually but fails to detect uncovered secrets, this could prove to be an embarrassing situation. All too often, it is costly.
Cisin Spectral provides intelligent detection, real-time commit verification, sanitization, and display of results clearly, as well as complete analysis after an incident.
Cisin Spectral monitors all assets, known and unknown to you. Integration is a 3-step procedure.
- Connect your repository or CI/CD: Cisin Spectral can integrate with any leading technology.
- Continuous monitoring: Cisin Spectrum continuously scans using proprietary machine learning for real-time detection.
- Custom alerts: Receive customized alerts and have the information right at your fingertips.
Protect your SDLC and your Business
Regular reports about data breaches and attacks on supply chains show that compromised software could have devastating effects on your business.
Software risk is a business risk and should be managed with vigilance. Your application security program must be "everywhere" to manage risks and reduce friction in your digital transformation initiatives.
This means security cannot remain the last issue that development teams deal with but must become a set of tools and processes that are included at every step of the development process.
Security programs are most effective when teams use tools that integrate seamlessly with development workflows.
SDLC has been around for a long time and is an established framework to organize application development from conception through decommissioning.
Since the early days of SDLC, many models have been developed, from waterfall to iterative, and more recently, agile, CI/CD, and so on. Every new SDLC model speeds up and increases the frequency of deployment.
SDLCs generally include these phases:
- Plan and prepare for the future
- Architectural design
- Plan your test before you start.
- Coding
- Tests and Results
- Release and Maintenance
In early SDLC systems, organizations performed security activities after the test phase. Insecure code was often released because time restrictions were too tight.
Teams have therefore instituted "shift-left" processes in order to align security with development. This process, which has evolved as SDLC systems continue to evolve, now includes a "shift everywhere" that integrates security into every stage of development.
It is more costly to fix a bug that has been discovered later in the SDLC. If a bug occurs late in the SDLC, the developers will have to stop what they're doing and revisit the code that they wrote weeks earlier.
When a production bug is discovered, the code must be sent back all the way to the SDLC's beginning.
The domino effect may kick in at this stage, causing other changes to be delayed as a result of fixing the bug. Not only will it cost more money to fix the bug as it goes through SDLC 2, but another code change may be put off, adding to costs.
Integrating security testing into every phase of SDLC is a better, quicker, and more cost-effective approach. This will help you discover vulnerabilities earlier and minimize them.
You can also build security as you are Coding. Architecture analysis throughout the design phase, code reviews during development and release, and penetration testing prior to release are security assurance tasks.
What Are the Main Advantages of Using an Sdlc Secure Approach?
- You can be assured that your software is safer.
- Security is a concern for all stakeholders.
- Early detection of design defects is crucial, as they are detected before the code has been created.
- Early detection of an early resolution of defects can reduce costs.
- Reduce the overall business risk for your company.
How Does a Safe SDLC Function?
In general, an SDLC that is secure involves the integration of security testing into the existing development process.
Some examples include writing security specifications alongside functional requirements and performing an architectural risk analysis during the design phase.
There are many secure SDLCs in use. One of the most popular is Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle, which details 12 practices that organizations can implement to improve the security of software.
The Secure Software Development Framework, developed by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology(NIST), focuses on processes related to security that can be integrated into existing SDLCs.
What is the First Step?
Here are a few things that you, as a tester or developer, can do to improve your company's security and move towards a more secure SDLC.
- Inform yourself and your coworkers about the available security frameworks and best practices for secure coding.
- Perform an architectural risk assessment at the beginning.
- When planning or building test cases, consider security.
- Code scanning is helpful for both static and dynamic analyses, as well as interactive security testing.
What Are the Next Steps After You Have Mastered the Basics?
Management must go beyond the basics to have a more significant impact. Here's what you need to do if you are a manager who wants to implement a secure SDLC.
- Conduct a gap analysis to identify the activities and policies in your organization and their effectiveness.
- Set realistic, achievable, and measurable goals for your software security program or initiative.
- Formalize security processes within your SSI.
- You should also invest in appropriate tools and secure training to help developers.
- You can also use outside assistance if needed.
What is the Relationship between SDLC and DevOps, Agile?
SDLC can be viewed as a software development method. This is a common mistake. The SDLC phases are described in the sequential order of the eight phases, but it's important to note that the SDLC methods waterfall, Agile, DevOps (DevOps), lean, spiral, iterative and iterative all use SDLC.
SDLC methods may differ by the names of the phases, the inclusion or exclusion of phases, and the order they are performed.
Planning and requirement analysis may be combined into a single phase. SDLC is a helpful framework for analyzing and understanding the software development process.
SDLC methods like Agile and DevOps focus on the iterative approach to software development rather than the linear waterfall method.
What is the Importance of Security in SDLC?
Security-related activities in software development are often deferred to the testing phase. This is usually late in SDLC after the majority of critical design and implementation is complete.
Security checks during testing can only be superficial and limited to penetration tests or scanning, so they may not uncover more complex issues. The discovery of problems at this stage in the SDLC can cause production delays. The problems can be more expensive and time-consuming to solve because they may require redevelopment or retesting.
What is the Secure SDLC?
To implement effective security processes, teams must "shift left," incorporating security concerns into each phase of SDLC.
This starts at the beginning and continues throughout the entire project. In order to adopt a Secure Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), security measures must be added at every phase of SDLC.
What is an SSDLC? DevSecOps, Automation, and How to Implement it
Organizations need to be constantly updated with security processes and practices in order to prepare for an ever-changing landscape of threats.
In order to implement an SSDLC early in the development process, it is essential that security controls and gates are implemented. DevOps and automated pipelines for continuous integration, continuous deployment, and continuous testing (CI/CD) have been adopted by organizations to iterate faster.
Security must be an automated and continuous process to avoid bottlenecks. The development team should be accountable for the security of applications in addition to designing, building, operating, and maintaining them.
DevSecOps consists of a collection of practices that includes people, processes, and technology to increase the speed and efficiency of software development while improving security, consistency, repeatability, and collaboration.
DevSecOps relies on shared ownership between development, operations, and security. DevSecOps goals include:
- Minimize Risks And Improve Safety: By removing security vulnerabilities earlier in the development cycle of applications and infrastructure, you can minimize production problems.
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Improve The Efficiency And Speed Of Devops Releases: Through the removal of legacy security tools and practices.
Automation, standardizing a toolchain, and implementing Infrastructure as Code, Security as Code, and Compliance as Coding for consistency and repeatability can improve the development process.
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Reduce Risk And Enhance Visibility: Through the implementation of security gates at an early stage in application development.
This will reduce human error, improve compliance, predictability, and repeatability and decrease audit concerns.
The four DevSecOps stages will ensure security is woven into the CI/CD process and can be adjusted to business or global changes.
Open Web Application Security Project (r)(OWASP) is a non-profit foundation that facilitates open-source projects led by the community to enhance software security. OWASP provides free projects, tools, and documents that can be used to enhance your development cycle.
Security of the SDLC and Software Supply Chains
The software supply chain is protected by combining best practices in risk management with cybersecurity. The software supply chain includes everyone who touches code during the SDLC.
This ranges from the application developer to the CI/CD pipeline and, finally, deployment.
Security of the software supply chain is essential for your company, customers, and other organizations that rely on open-source contributions.
No organization would want its security compromised, but it does not wish to become responsible if another organization experiences a similar incident. The key is to implement protections in your software supply chains.
The following are some of the best supply security practices to consider by security teams:
- Provide least privilege access across the entire supply chain.
Developer tools, source code repositories, and other software systems, enabling multi factor authentication and using strong passwords.
- Secure all connected devices, sensitive data, and your network.
- Start with your top-tier suppliers to get to know them.
Risk assessments are conducted to assess each supplier's cyber posture and their public policy on vulnerabilities.
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Why use Cisin Security for SDLC?
Cisin provides open-source software which is trusted by organizations to implement a layered approach for security across infrastructure, application stacks, and the lifecycle of the applications.
This helps them achieve better security whether they are on-premises, in the Cloud, or even at the edge.
Cisin's technologies are created with a focus on the security of custom software development services.
This foundation focuses on security. Organizations can then focus their attention on developing, managing, and controlling hybrid environments. They can also implement an automation strategy and develop security within the SDLC using DevSecOps.
Cisin's security partners and Cisin itself offer a DevSecOps solution that helps organizations innovate while maintaining security.
Cisin's expertise and capability to provide a comprehensive portfolio for building, deploying, and running security-focused applications across open hybrid clouds will help organizations wherever they may be in their DevSecOps Journey.
